Begonia plant named ‘BKBEWFAFSP’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘BKBEWFAFSP’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading to pendulous plant habit; moderately freely basal branching habit; medium-size leaves; freely and continuously flowering habit; flowers that are light pink in color with darker pink-colored margins; long flowering period; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Begonia pendula.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BKBEWFAFSP’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant, botanically known as Begonia pendula and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘BKBEWFAFSP’.

The new Begonia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Amstelveen, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new hanging basket Begonia plants with good summer performance and long flowering period.

The new Begonia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in March, 2007 of a proprietary selection of Begonia pendula identified as code number 07-002-04, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Begonia pendula identified as code number 06-276-08, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Begonia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Amstelveen, The Netherlands in April, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia plant by tip cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Amstelveen, The Netherlands since May, 2009 has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘BKBEWFAFSP’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘BKBEWFAFSP’ as a new and distinct Begonia plant:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading to pendulous plant habit.     -   2. Moderately freely basal branching habit.     -   3. Medium-size leaves.     -   4. Freely and continuously flowering habit.     -   5. Flowers that are light pink in color with darker pink-colored         margins.     -   6. Long flowering period; plants flower throughout the summer in         The Netherlands.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia have darker green-colored leaves         than plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Begonia are slightly pubescent         whereas leaves of plants of the female parent selection are         glabrous.     -   3. Plants of the new Begonia and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have pale orange-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the Begonia ‘Rainbow Falls’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Amstelveen, The Netherlands, plants of the new Begonia differed from plants of ‘Rainbow Falls’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia had semi-double type flowers         whereas plants of ‘Rainbow Falls’ had double type flowers.     -   2. Plants of the new Begonia and ‘Rainbow Falls’ differed in         flower color as plants of ‘Rainbow Falls’ had yellow and         pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the Begonia ‘BKBEWPF’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,138. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Amstelveen, The Netherlands, plants of the new Begonia differed from plants of ‘BKBEWPF’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia were more compact than plants of         ‘BKBEWPF’.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Begonia had fewer tepaloids than         flowers of plants of ‘BKBEWPF’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Begonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Begonia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘BKBEWFAFSP’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close up view of the upper and lower surfaces of typical flower buds, flowers and leaves of ‘BKBEWFAFSP’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements were grown in 12-cm containers during the winter in a glass-covered greenhouse in Maasdijk, The Netherlands. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 19° C. Plants were eight weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia pendula ‘BKBEWFAFSP’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Begonia             pendula identified as code number 07-002-04, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Begonia             pendula identified as code number 06-276-08, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one week at             temperatures of about 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About one week at             temperatures of about 18° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 32 days             at temperatures of about 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 35 days             at temperatures of about 18° C. to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in             color; plants of the new Begonia have not been observed to             form tubers.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Upright, outwardly spreading to             pendulous plant habit; plant shape roughly flattened             globular; moderately freely basal branching with about seven             basal branches per plant; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 14.9 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 31.5 cm.         -   Branch description.—Length: About 10.1 cm. Diameter: About             7 mm. Internode length: About 1.5 cm. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Aspect: Upright to about 30° from vertical. Color,             developing: Between 152B and 197A to 197B. Color, fully             developed: Between 152A to 197A.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 12.7 cm. Width: About 6.2 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:             Acuminate. Base: Oblique. Margin: Bi-serrate. Texture, upper             surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Texture, lower surface:             Sparsely pubescent. Venation pattern: Palmate; reticulate.             Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 184B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than between 147A and             N189A; venation, close to 147A. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 183C to 183D; venation, close to 148A,             veins surrounded by close to 147B. Petioles: Length: About             4.7 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Sparsely pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to             199A slightly tinged with close to 152A. Color, lower             surface: Close to 199A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—Female rotate and male cruciform flowers             arranged in axillary compound cymes; freely flowering habit             with about four flowers per cyme and about 120 flowers             developing per plant; flowers face outwardly to drooping.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 45             days after planting; long flowering period, plants flower             freely and continuously from spring until October in The             Netherlands.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about ten days on             the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 13.4 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 13.4 cm.         -   Female flowers.—Diameter: About 7.3 cm. Height: About             2.1 cm. Flower buds: Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About             1.2 cm. Shape: Ovate. Color: Close to 49B to 49C; towards             the margins, tinged with close to 50C; towards the base,             close to 149D. Tepals: Quantity per flower and arrangement:             About five in a single whorl. Length: About 4.2 cm. Width:             About 1.6 cm. Shape: Obovate to narrowly obovate. Apex:             Obtuse to emarginate or praemorse. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly             velvety. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 55D;             margins, close to 55B. When opening, lower surface: Close to             55C; margins, close to 55A to 55B. Fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 56D; margins, close to 55A; color does not             change with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close             to 54C; color does not change with development.         -   Male flowers.—Diameter: About 8.2 cm. Height: About 2.4 cm.             Flower buds: Length: About 2 cm. Diameter, flattened: About             1.4 cm. Shape, flattened: Broadly obovate. Color: Close to             49B to 49C; towards the margins, tinged with close to 50C;             towards the base, close to 149D. Tepals: Quantity per flower             and arrangement: About four in a single whorl; two tepals,             broadly obovate in shape and two tepals, obovate in shape.             Broadly obovate tepals: Length: About 4.3 cm. Width: About             3.1 cm. Apex: Obtuse to emarginate or praemorse. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             slightly velvety. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close             to N155B; margins, close to 55B. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 56A; margins, close to 55A to 55B. Fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 56B; margins, close to 54A             to 54B; color does not change with development. Fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 52C; margins, close to 52A             to 52B; color does not change with development. Obovate             tepals: Length: About 4.1 cm. Width: About 1.9 cm. Apex:             Obtuse to emarginate or praemorse. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly             velvety. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to N155B.             When opening, lower surface: Close to 56A. Fully opened,             upper surface: Close to 56D; color does not change with             development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 55C;             color does not change with development.         -   Tepaloids.—Tepaloid development has been observed only on             male flowers of the new Begonia plant. Quantity per flower             and arrangement: About six in a single whorl. Length: About             2 cm. Width: About 9 mm. Shape: Narrowly obovate. Apex:             Obtuse to emarginate or praemorse. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly             velvety. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to N155B.             When opening, lower surface: Close to 56A. Fully opened,             upper surface: Close to 56D; color does not change with             development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 55C;             color does not change with development.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7.2 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Angle: About 30° from branch axis. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 152B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 4.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.75 mm.             Angle: About 45° from the peduncle axis. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 42B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Present on male flowers only.             Number of stamens: About 50 per flower. Filament length:             About 5 mm. Filament color: Close to 13C. Anther length:             About 1 mm. Anther shape: Club-shaped. Anther color: Close             to 11B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 11B.             Pistils: Present on female flowers only. Quantity per             flower: About six. Length: About 9 mm. Style length: About             5 mm. Style color: Close to 1B. Stigma color: Close to 12A.             Ovary color: Close to 145A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development production has             not been observed on plants of the new Begonia. -   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common     to Begonia has not been observed on plants of the new Begonia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate temperatures from about     14° C. to about 35° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘BKBEWFAFSP’ as illustrated and described. 